Martin County ( es, Condado de Martín, link=) is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

located in the

Treasure Coast The Treasure Coast is a region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is located on Florida's East Coast, bordering the Atlantic Ocean and comprising Indian River, Martin, and St. Lucie counties. The region, whose name refers to the Spanish Treasure ...

region of the

state State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * ''Our S ...

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and ...

, in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 158,431. Its

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...

is Stuart. Martin County is in the

Port St. Lucie Port St. Lucie is a city in St. Lucie County, Florida, United States. It is the most populous municipality in the county with a population of 204,851 at the 2020 census. It is located southeast of Orlando and north of Miami. The Port St. L ...

, FL

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally incorporated as a city or tow ...

History

Martin County was created in 1925 with the northern portion coming from St. Lucie County and southern portion coming from Palm Beach County. It was named for

John W. Martin John Wellborn Martin (June 21, 1884 – February 22, 1958) was an American politician who served as the 24th Governor of Florida, from 1925 to 1929. He also served as Mayor of Jacksonville, Florida, from 1917 to 1923. Born in Plainfield in Mario ...

Governor of Florida A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

from 1925 to 1929. When the county was created, the western contour followed the shore of Lake Okeechobee, as did the borders of Glades, Okeechobee, and Hendry counties. Palm Beach County had historically claimed all of the surface of the lake as part of its area, to its benefit for the distribution of state and federal highway funds. The state representative of Martin County, William Ralph Scott of Stuart, initiated a bill to divide the lake among its adjacent counties, creating a more equitable distribution of state funds for road creation and maintenance. All bordering counties confirmed the justice of this change and supported its ratification, with the exception of Palm Beach County. Representatives from Palm Beach County later presented Representative William Scott with a jug of water, signifying "all the water Bill Scott left Palm Beach County." The jug is in the possession of Stuart Heritage.

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (27.8%) is water. It is the fifth-largest county in Florida by land area, and fifty-third largest by total area.

Adjacent counties

St. Lucie County St. Lucie County ( es, Condado de Santa Lucía, link=) is a county in the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 329,226. The county's seat is Fort Pierce. St. Lucie County is included in the Port St. Lucie, FL Metr ...

– north *

Palm Beach County Palm Beach County is a county located in the southeastern part of Florida and lies directly north of Broward County and Miami-Dade County. The county had a population of 1,492,191 as of the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous county ...

– south *

Hendry County Hendry County is a county in the Florida Heartland region of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 39,619, down from 42,022 at the 2010 census. Its county seat is LaBelle. Hendry County comprises the Clewisto ...

– southwest * Glades County – southwest * Okeechobee County – northwest

National protected area

Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge The Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge, a part of the United States National Wildlife Refuge System, is a refuge on Jupiter Island in Florida. Its official name as of 2019 is the Nathaniel P. Reed Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge. Part of t ...

Environment

Martin County Shore Protection Project

According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Martin County Shore Protection Project includes nourishment of approximately 3.75 miles of beach extending from the St. Lucie County line south to the Stuart Public Beach Park in Martin County. Included in the project is restoration of the primary dune and a 35-foot-wide protective berm. The renourishment interval for this project is every 7 years. The last renourishment of the Martin County Shore Protection Project was completed in May 2013 and included a Flood Control and Coastal Emergency component due impacts incurred with the passage of Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The next renourishment event is scheduled for 2019. The estimated total cost of this project is $69.9 million, $32.5 million of which is to be paid for by the

U.S. Federal Government The federal government of the United States (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the national government of the United States, a federal republic located primarily in North America, composed of 50 states, a city within a f ...

. In Fiscal Year 2015, no funding was appropriated to the project by the U.S. Congress. In the Fiscal Year 2016 U.S. President's Budget Request to the U.S. Congress, no funding dollars was requested for the project.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the

2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to off ...

, there were 158,431 people, 65,014 households, and 40,328 families residing in the county.

2000 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

of 2000, there were 126,731 people, 55,288 households, and 36,213 families residing in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was . There were 65,471 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 89.88%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...

, 5.27%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.30% Native American, 0.60% Asian, 0.10%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 2.72% from other races, and 1.14% from two or more races. 7.50% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race. In 2000 there were 55,288 households, out of which 21.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.00% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

living together, 7.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.50% were non-families. 29.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.71. In the county, the population was spread out, with 18.60% under the age of 18, 5.30% from 18 to 24, 22.90% from 25 to 44, 24.90% from 45 to 64, and 28.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.20 males. The median income for a household in the county was $43,083, and the median income for a family was $53,244. Males had a median income of $36,133 versus $27,000 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the county was $29,584. About 5.60% of families and 8.80% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 13.80% of those under age 18 and 5.20% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Airports

* Indiantown Airport * Naked Lady Ranch Airport (private) *

Witham Field Witham Field is a public-use airport located southeast of the central business district of the city of Stuart in Martin County, Florida, United States. The airport is publicly owned. History With the onset of World War II, patriotic priv ...

Major highways

Interstate 95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from US Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Florida, to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between Maine and the Canadia ...

Florida's Turnpike Florida's Turnpike, designated as unsigned State Road 91 (SR 91), is a toll road in the U.S. state of Florida, maintained by Florida's Turnpike Enterprise (FTE). Spanning approximately along a northwest–southeast axis, the turnpike is in tw ...

* U.S. Highway 1 *

U.S. Highway 98 U.S. Route 98 (US 98) is an east–west United States Highway in the Southeastern United States that runs from western Mississippi to southern Florida. It was established in 1933 as a route between Pensacola and Apalachicola, Florida, and has sinc ...

U.S. Highway 441 U.S. Route 441 (US 441) is a auxiliary route of U.S. Route 41. It extends from US 41 in Miami, Florida to US 25W in Rocky Top, Tennessee. Between its termini, US 441 travels through the states of Florida, Georgia, North ...

* State Road A1A * State Road 76 * County Road 707 * State Road 710 * State Road 714 * State Road 732

Trails

The Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail, a segment of the

Florida National Scenic Trail The Florida Trail is one of eleven National Scenic Trails in the United States. It currently runs , from Big Cypress National Preserve (between Miami and Naples, Florida along the Tamiami Trail) to Fort Pickens at Gulf Islands National Seashore, ...

, passes through Martin County.

Government

Martin County is a non-chartered county and its form of government is prescribed by the Florida Constitution and Florida Statutes, as follows:

Board of County Commissioners

The Board of County Commissioners is the legislative body of the county and has charge of all county executive and administrative functions, except those assigned by the Constitution to independent county officers or to the independent school district. The board also has some quasi-judicial functions. Some of functions exercised by the board are county-wide, while others are applicable only in the unincorporated areas of the county, where the board has many of the functions of a municipality. The county commissioners are elected by county-wide vote, but each one represents a specific district. The board appoints the county administrator who is responsible to it for the day-to-day operations of the county government. The current county commissioners by district number are: * 1. Doug Smith, Vice Chair * 2. Stacey Hetherington, Chair * 3. Harold Jenkins * 4. Sarah Heard * 5. Edward Ciampi

Constitutional officers

The elected Constitutional officers are: * Clerk (Clerk of Courts, County Clerk, etc.): Carolyn Timmann * Property Appraiser: Jenny Fields * Sheriff: William Snyder * Supervisor of Elections: Vicki Davis * Tax Collector: Ruth Pietruszewski

School district

The independent Martin County School District has a board appointed superintendent of schools and an elected school board, as follows: * The superintendent, Dr. John D. Millay, is the chief administrator of the district. * The school board is the legislative body of the district and also exercises quasi-judicial powers. School Board members are elected county wide but each one represents a specific district. The current board members by district are: ** 1. Marsha Powers, Chair ** 2. Tony Anderson, Vice Chair ** 3. Christia Li Roberts ** 4. Victoria Defenthaler ** 5. Michael DiTerlizzi

Electoral politics

Martin County is a long-standing Republican stronghold which has not supported a Democrat for the White House since Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1944.

Voter registration

According to the Secretary of State's office, Republicans are a majority of registered voters in Martin County.

Libraries

Th
Martin County Library System
has 6 branches. * Blake Library (Stuart) * Elisabeth Lahti Library (Indiantown) * Hobe Sound Public Library (Hobe Sound) * Hoke Library (Jensen Beach) * Peter & Julie Cummings Library (Palm City) * Robert Morgade Library (South Stuart)

Attractions

Florida panther at Audubon Center, Stuart, Florida

* Audubon of Martin County: Possum Long Nature Center, Palm Beach Road, Stuart *

Elliott Museum The Elliott Museum, located at 825 N.E. Ocean Blvd. on Hutchinson Island in Stuart, Florida, United States, focuses on art, history, and technology. Named after the prolific inventor Sterling Elliott, the museum features a changing exhibition ga ...

on Hutchinson Island *

Jonathan Dickinson State Park Jonathan Dickinson State Park is a Florida State Park and historic site located in Martin County, Florida, between Hobe Sound and Tequesta. The park includes the Elsa Kimbell Environmental Education and Research Center and a variety of natural ...

in South Martin County *

Martin County Fair The Martin County Fair is one of the largest agricultural fairs in the United States, occurring annually in February in Stuart, Florida. Established in 1960, this Fair is held at the Martin County Fairgrounds across from Witham Airfield. The f ...

held every February. * Martin County Public Beaches: ** Hobe Sound Public Beach on Jupiter Island ** Jensen Sea Turtle Beach, Stuart Beach and many beach strips on Hutchinson Island. *

Savannas Preserve State Park Savannas Preserve State Park is a Florida State Park, located along much of the Atlantic Coast between Fort Pierce and Jensen Beach. Savannas Preserve also has a group of youth volunteers, the Junior Friends of Savannas Preserve State Park. G ...

(extends into St. Lucie County) * St. Lucie Inlet Preserve State Park on Long Island east of Port Salerno and north of Jupiter Island

Historic areas

On the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

: * Hobe Sound **

Olympia School The Olympia School, also known as the Picture City School, the Hobe Sound White School, the Apollo Street School and now the Apollo School, is an historic two-room elementary school building located at 9141 Southeast Apollo Street in Hobe Sound, M ...

, 1925 ** Trapper Nelson Zoo Historic District, located south of Hobe Sound is inside

in southern Martin County, 1933 * Hutchinson Island ** House of Refuge at Gilbert's Bar, 1876 ** Georges Valentine Shipwreck Site, 1904 * Indiantown **

Seminole Inn The Seminole Inn, also known as the Seminole Country Inn, is a Mission Revival style historic hotel located at 15885 Southeast Warfield Boulevard in Indiantown, Florida. It was built by S. Davies Warfield, who was president of the Seaboard Air ...

, 1926 * Jensen Beach ** Mount Elizabeth Archeological Site, prehistoric **

Stuart Welcome Arch The Stuart Welcome Arch (also known as the 1926 Welcome Arch or Rio-Jensen Beach Arch) is an historic arch-shaped gateway that straddles County Road 707 between 2369 and 2390 Northeast Dixie Highway in Jensen Beach, Florida. It was built in 1926 ...

, 1926 ** Tuckahoe, 1938 * Jupiter Island ** Gate House, 1927 * Stuart **

Burn Brae Plantation-Krueger House The Krueger House is a historic house in Stuart, Martin County, Florida. It is located on the grounds of the historic Burn Brae Plantation. On February 14, 2002, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. History Albert R ...

, 1894 ** Lyric Theatre, 1927 ** Old Martin County Courthouse, 1937 Other historic areas listed in 1989 by the Florida Chapter of the

American Institute of Architects The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to s ...

: * All Saints Episcopal Church, Waveland, 2377 N.E. Patrician Street, 1898, * Bay Tree Lodge (Kiplinger House), 143 S. River Road (originally 104 S. Sewall's Point Road), Sewall's Point, 1909 *

Dudley-Bessey House The Dudley-Bessey House, also known as the Major Phillip B. H. Dudley Home, is an historic two-story, single-family house located at 110 SW Atlanta Avenue in Stuart in Martin County, Florida. Built in 1909 for Phillip B. H. Dudley, it features ...

, 110 S.W. Atlanta Avenue, Stuart, 1909 * Dyer Homestead, 1006 S.W. St. Lucie Crescent, Stuart, 1904 * Feroe Building, 73 S.W. Flagler Avenue, corner of St. Lucie, Stuart, 1913 * France Apartments, 524 St. Lucie Crescent, Stuart, 1927 *

Golden Gate Building The Golden Gate Building, built in 1925, is an historic real estate and land development office building located on Florida State Road A1A, State Road A1A at 3225 South East Dixie Highway (corner of South East Delmar Street) in the unincorporated ...

, 3225 S.E. Dixie Highway in Golden Gate south of Stuart, 1925 * Kitching House, 210 S.W. Atlanta Avenue, Stuart, 1894 * Stuart Feed Store, 101 S.W. Flagler Avenue, Stuart, 1905 * Sunrise Inn, S.E. Old St. Lucie Boulevard, Port Sewall. ca. 1925 (demolished) * John E. Taylor House, 204 S.E. Atlanta Avenue, Stuart, 1914 Other places listed in 2012 by the Florida Chapter of the American Institute of Architects in its ''Florida Architecture: 100 Years. 100 Places''. *

Beach Road 2 Beach Road 2 is a two-story Atlantic beach house built between 2004 and 2005 on the foundation of a previous house in the North Beach Road area of Jupiter Island, Florida. Designed in the modernistic style by Hobe Sound Hobe Sound is an uninc ...

, Jupiter Island

Communities

City

* Stuart

Towns

* Jupiter Island * Ocean Breeze * Sewall's Point

Villages

* Indiantown

Census-designated places

* Hobe Sound * Jensen Beach * North River Shores * Palm City *

Port Salerno Port Salerno is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Martin County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,401 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Port St. Lucie Metropolitan Statistical Area. Geography Port ...

Rio Rio or Río is the Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Maltese word for "river". When spoken on its own, the word often means Rio de Janeiro, a major city in Brazil. Rio or Río may also refer to: Geography Brazil * Rio de Janeiro * Rio do Sul, a ...

Other unincorporated places

* Hutchinson Island (part) * Port Mayaca

Gallery

File:MartinCountyFlaCourthouseComplex Gazebo.JPG, The Gazebo on the grounds of the new courthouse complex File:OldMartinCountyFlaCourthouse 012.JPG, The Old Martin County Courthouse, built in 1937 File:Golden Gate Building, Stuart, Florida 001.JPG,

, built in 1925 File:st. lucie river from sp.jpg, View of St. Lucie River and Stuart from Sewall's Point File:St Lucie Inlet aerial view.jpg, View of St. Lucie Inlet and Sailfish Point File:USACE St Lucie Lock and Dam.jpg, St. Lucie Locks and Dam

References

External links

{{authority control Florida counties 1925 establishments in Florida Port St. Lucie metropolitan area Populated places established in 1925 Port St. Lucie, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area